Volvo Ocean Race - Day 2 Mapfre takes over lead 50nm from Rock

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com on 13 Oct 2014 With about 50nm to sail to reach the Straits of Gibraltar, Spain's Mapfre has taken over the front running and holds small lead of less than a mile over three other boats at 1840hrs UTC on Day 2.

Volvo Ocean Race reports:


Team Vestas Wind and Mapfre led the game until midday, reaching Cabo de Gata in first place. At around 1200 local time the boats entered the Alboran Sea and the wind dropped. Team Alimedica was reported to be leading, at 1730hrs, however in a position report just over an hour later Mapfre had taken the lead again.

The teams worked on their tactics in these tricky conditions, both along the coast and further offshore.

At 1530 UTC Mapfre and Dongfeng Race Team split from the fleet, taking an option away from the land, with a maximum lateral split of 5 nm. The others are sticking north for now, closer to the Andalusian coast.

The wind is expected to strengthen from the west as the boat leave the Alboran Sea. They should cross the Strait of Gibraltar tonight (around midnight). Whoever picks the Atlantic (trade) winds first will then gain some precious boat speed.

Routing gives up secret of lead change

Earlier in the day, the routing function of Predictwind suggested standing across to the other side of the Mediterrean and then approaching the Straits of Gibraltar form the African coast.

Consistent with the strategy expressed by the whole of the fleet that they did not want to be left behind in the Mediterranean, the fleet have largely ignored the routing advice and have stuck together in a more direct route.

The only breakout was Mapfre, who took a short hook out to sea, made the gain that the routing showed was there and when she came back had taken a small lead.

Normally navigators are not inclined to take some of the extreme courses indicated by routing software. however they do point to which is the favoured side of the direct line to the next waypoint, and usually shifting to that side will yield a gain over those who do not move away. Obviously the closer the fleet gets to the waypoint the options hut down to move away from the direct and shortest route.

From here for the final 50nm to Gibraltar, the recommended route is to stay on the direct line for Gibraltar, or to look at what the wind is doing inshore. Standing across to the other coast is not an option now, unless the fleet goes in that direction and Staying in Contact is the key for this stage..